New discovery 1 owner. 1994 ES V8 bought as project, but dash warnings!

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i didn't see any screws holding the binnacle down , just a silicon bead so I thought it might clip on but will investigate this more, thanks, Mickl

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Yes, there are 2 clips on mine, but they are inside towards the back. There are 2 screws on the strip just below the glass, but as the whole thing is prone to cracking yours may well have been replaced with some silastic. Mine sort of hinges up and back from the front. It is just a cover, the rest of it stays there, but probably has some more screws holding the actual cluster. The switches come away with the cover, but they all have removable plugs on the wiring.

I copied this from another site. Perhaps if you look at your four pin plug and see if it has the same coloured wires as described below. If so, follow the instruction and hey presto. Makes sense that the procedure would be similar as both used Testbook, Just a different plug.

Troubleshooting Why Your ABS Light is On - Range Rover Classic and Discovery 1
If your ABS Light is illuminated and you are not near a dealer or other diagnostic equipment, you
can use the blink method to determine what is causing the fault. First locate and remove the ABS
Warning Light Relay from the group of relays underneath the seat (consult owner's guide for
specific vehicle location, if needed). Then, find the blue 4 pin connector under the front of the
driver's seat on the RR (or under the black, cardboard lower dash drivers side on the Disco-1) and jumper the
black to black/pink wire with the key on – a paperclip will work.
ATTN: Only pre OBDII Disco's had the blue 4-pin connector. The base is blue and I am pretty sure it is X104 in Rave.

All OBDII Disco I's you have to jump terminals 5 and 15 on the data link connector. The data link connector is where you would plug in
your scanner to read engine codes. You do not have to pull the relay.

OBD2 pin out:
\ 1. 2. . 3. 4 . 5. 6. . 7 . 8. /
. \9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 /

Remember that 16 is +12V at all times. Be careful that you only stick it in 5 and 15!!

(forget all of the periods, just trying to space it out)


Jumper together terminals 5 and 15 with a paper clip and with the ignition in the on position II,
read the blink codes.
If you remove the paper clip while reading the code, it will erase that code. So that's what I did,
read and erase each code, one at a time. Took for a test drive, light went out, all is well. The light will stay on until you drive it.


The ABS light will first flash a long then short blink to indicate the system is in diagnostic mode.
Then you will start to get a flash sequence. Don’t panic cause the code will repeat. There will be a
set of flashes then a pause then another set of flashes then a long pause then it will repeat that
code 2 more times. You are counting two sets of flashes (i.e. blink, blink, pause, blink, blink, blink,
blink, blink, blink would be code 2-6 or “Stop Light Switch Fault…see codes below.)

To clear the code…you need to remove the jumper during the flash sequence.
Note: You may have more than one code to clear so don’t panic if you clear the code and another
sequence begins. It will continue to flash the code(s) until it has been displayed then the ABS
light will stay on. Turn the key off then back on & reinsert the jumper to go to the next code. If you
are not sure of a code just leave the jumper in & cycle the key on & off to restart the sequence.
Write down each code as you go & erase each one by pulling the jumper during the blink
sequence to erase that code. When you pull the jumper, allow the sequence to finish. The ABS
light will stay on after the code has finished blinking. Let me know if you need any more help or if
you need to know what the codes mean.

The ABS code series always starts with the following sequence of 1 long, 1 short, pause 1 long,
and 1 short. It then goes into displaying the codes. Every code starts with 2 pulses on (2.5s each)
and then a series of pulses which are the rest of the code.
Codes:
2-12 Front Right
2-13 Rear Left
2-14 Front left
2-15 Rear Right
Reason: Too large an air gap, or sensor has been forced out by exciter ring – try tapping sensor
back into place.
5-12 front right
5-13 rear left
5-14 front left
5-15 Rear Right
Reason: Sensor wire has an intermittent fault – check connection(s).
6-12 front right
6-13 rear left
6-14 front left
6-15 rear right
Reason: no output from sensor. Sensor may have too large an air gap. Try tapping in sensor(s),
check connections.
4-12 Front right
4- 13 rear left
4- 14 front left
4- 15 rear right
Reason: Wiring to sensor is broken or sensor resistance is too high. Inspect wiring at sensors.
2-6 Stop light switch
Reason: Faulty switch or wiring. Replace brake light switch.
Code 2-7: Continous supply to the ECU with the ignition off. Faulty valve relay or wiring.
Code 2-8: No voltage to ABS Solenoid valves. Faulty valve relay or wiring.
Codes 3-0 to 3-9: Open circuit or connection from ECU to solenoid valve in booster, or in ECU.
Codes 4-0 to 4-9: Short circuit to earth from ECU to solenoid valve in booster.
Codes 5-0 to 5-9: Short circuit to 12 volts in connection from ECU to solenoid
valve in booster. Possible earth fault.
Codes 6-0 to 6-9: Short circuit between two connections from ECU to solenoid valve in booster.

I will add this link. It is not for our specific model of ABS controller, but the code list is complete and should point you closer to a code not listed above....

Tom.

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Originally Posted by Mickl

.... i didn't see any screws holding the binnacle down , just a silicon bead so I thought it might clip on but will investigate this more, thanks, Mickl

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Screws don't hold the binnacle 'down', they hold it (best described as) back.

Drop the steering column as low down as it goes, and you should see the two screws along the front face, about 5mm from the top of the steering column top cover. Long screwdriver can get them ok.
That face where they hold back usually cracks up, and usually the screws do nothing, as they cave into the binnacle.

Switches are best pulled out from their slots, just enough to reveal each connector. place them in an order so that you remember where they each go again.

The rear tabs just slide in and out of receiving slots inside and under the front curved edge of the binnacle .. but the receiving slots are usually busted too.

Hence why someone used silicon along the lower edge of the binnacle! .. most likely none of the fixtures will be holding the binnacle down :D

I'm looking through the Haynes manual now, and for the ABS warning light on the instrument cluster, it's controlled by a Black and Grey(grey on black!!) wire at the ABS warning relay.
My D1 doesn't have ABS, so I can't tell you where this ABS warning relay is(sorry).
The relay will be a 4 pin relay, and the other three wires(colours) should be 1 x Brown/Pink, and 2 x black.

I've discovered that the ABS control unit(ABS ECU) resides behind the glovebox.
It should have a multi connector, with 35 wires(or so) on that multiplug. There may be a lot of pure white, or green wires and many other multi coloured(striped) wires.
There is only one Black and Grey wire on that multi plug, according to Haynes, the location of that wire is pin26 on that 35 wire connector.

What I'd try first, would be to disconnect the multi plug on the ABS ECU and see if that extinguishes the ABS light on the dash first.
Only problem with that is that there is also a ABS load relay as well.(4 pin too).
Both those relays are powered from the ABS ECU, so disconnecting it's plug will obviously render the ABS totally inoperable.

Both those power wires to the relays appear to come off the Brown/Pink wires(2 of) at pin 1 and pin 14 on that connector.
They join at a common connector and then separate back out to each relay again individually.

I can't find any info on that 4 port diagnostic plug tho.

Hope that bit of info is useful for 'ya.

Found the location description of the ABS warning relay in the Haynes manual:

It says "behind passengers side of fascia on bracket".

If this is so, then this would be the way to tackle the light issue, rather than risk the instrument pod coming all loose on 'ya.

Exactly where this means is unknown to me(remember mine doesn't have ABS!) .. but look for a 4 pin relay with 2 black wires, 1 Brown/Pink(remember both ABS relays have this wire colour tho!) .. and the differentiator wire is that Black and Grey that powers the ABS warning light.

I had a mate that used to black out the warning lights with black satin paint and a small paint brush 😂😂😂
Probably not advisable to do but funny as now that I am driving his car's around.

May I suggest that the OP is given a chance to fix the problem correctly prior to bypassing the problem?

Tom.

Wow, there is so much knowledge out there. I am really blown away with it but also with the effort you forum members go to to help unknown strangers like me. Thanks once again. I am learning lots. Electronics has been a total mystery to me, but I am making some headway with this problem now.
Whilst the anti-lock braking system is clearly an advance, I am still comfortable if this car can perform satisfactorily without it, as do most of the early Disco 1 cars out there. So now I am moving on to checking all the brake cylinders are working correctly and that the system is purged of any air and has new fluid.
Another plus today was when the neighbour called around ( the same guy who sold me the car recently .....he had a stroke last year and cannot drive now) and he produced the lost jack handle. I bought a 27 mm black air socket last week so I can remove the wheels now.
thanks everyone once again, no doubt I will be posting more problems as I work through this project. Mickl